The Englewood Review of Books Podcast

In this episode of The Englewood Review of Books Podcast, Lindsey Cornett, the Managing Editor of Englewood Press and Assistant Editor of The ERB,is joined by children’s book authors, Dana VanderLugt and Karina Yan Glaser. They address the role of storytelling and imagination in a life of faith and the sometimes surprising ways faith and spirituality show up in children’s literature, with a particular emphasis on life i...

In this episode, ERB Podcast producer Julie L. Moore speaks with acclaimed writers Robert Cording and Marjorie Maddox about their most recent books: In the Unwalled City and What's Possible: New and Selected Poems by Cording and Seeing Things and Hover Here by Maddox. Humble and gracious, Cording and Maddox share how they write about their own deep questions, intense challenges, and heart-breaking losses in their vulnerable, relata...

In this episode, C. Christopher Smith, founding editor of ERB, chats with poet Julie L. Moore, who is also the new producer of this podcast. Chris and Julie offer a behind-the-scenes look at the podcast and discuss Julie's hopes for her work as producer. They also discuss Julie's brand new collection of poems, Devil's Backbone, which arrives in bookstores this week.

A Best of the Net and eight-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie L. M...

In this episode, Chris Smith, founding editor of ERB, speaks with best-selling author Shannan Martin and first-time author Amar Peterman about the intersecting themes of faith, justice, and community in their new books. Their conversation explores the tension between life’s “heavy goodness” and its “undercurrent of grief,” demonstrating that "we can only counter what we're first willing to weigh," as M...

Joel hosted a fun and freewheeling discussion, with a stand-out panel of readers, of our favorite books from 2025. They discuss many books that were published in 2025, but not exclusively new titles, covering a wide swath of genres from biblical studies to young adult literature to poetry. There's something in this discussion for everyone!

Jessica Hooten Wilson is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine Univers...

Chris (founding editor of the ERB) spoke with first-time podcast guest (and one of our most-frequently mentioned writers!) Kathleen Norris and returning guest Amy Julia Becker, regarding some common themes in their published writing. They speak about disability, what it means to be human, and their experiences accompanying family members with disabilities. Their conversation is humble, sincere, vulnerable and light-hearted, and lis...

Lindsey Cornett, Managing Editor of Englewood Press, spoke with authors Sarah Arthur and Mitali Perkins about the value and significance of children’s literature for spiritual formation. We discuss how literature connects us to the heart of God, how Mitali and Sarah think about their own audiences as they write, and why adults should be reading children’s literature. As always, the conversation wraps up with a discussio...

Chris sat down for an in-person conversation with 3 of the co-authors of "The Shape of Our Lives" from Englewood Press. They discuss the concept of formation, it's inevitability, and what it means for leaders of congregations to pursue intentional formation in the context of community and worship.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds ...

Joel spoke with two first-time guests to the podcast, Jonathan Tran & Malcolm Foley, about their recent books and their work to more precisely illuminate and define the "racial capitalism" in which those of us in the Western world live. It's a stimulating and wide-ranging conversation about race, economics, history, higher education, politics and more. Of course, we end with a discussion of what we have all been reading.

Dr. Jon...

Lindsey Cornett, Managing Editor of Englewood Press, spoke with two writers of notable nonfiction, Esau McCaulley and Katie Blackburn, not about their "books for grownups," but about their recent publications for children. They discuss their unexpected journeys into children's literature, why it's important to write books for children, and their upcoming projects.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of t...

Chris sat down with two first-time guests, Mandy Smith and Dennis Edwards, at the recent Missio Alliance Awakenings event. Chris brought them together because their recent work shares a thematic connection of exploring "humility," which is the foundation of their conversation. They talk about their experiences as ministry leaders, biblical and theological dimensions of humility, and how their work pushes us towards specific practic...

Joel spoke with repeat guest Nijay Gupta and first-time guest Melissa Barciela Mandala about Paul's notion of "love." They discuss the impulse to find a "theological center" to Paul's New Testament writings, the success of Nijay's attempt to locate the love of God as this "center," and of course, what we are all currently reading and enjoying.

Nijay K. Gupta is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He is ...

Chris spoke with two first-time podcast guests, Carey Wallace and Charlie Peacock, about their careers and varied experiences of pursuing creative work. They consider the role of community in creativity, what it means to be "inspired," and how they recount these observations in their recent books. They reflect on the connections between the act of surrender, spiritual disciplines, and hearing from God in the midst of various creati...

Joel hosted a freewheeling conversation with Chris Smith (Founding Editor of ERB), Lindsey Cornett (Managing Editor of Englewood Press) and Jen Pollock Michel (author, writer, former ERB podcast host) all about our favorite books from 2024. We discuss our personal perspectives on how to choose 'favorite' books, and we talk about a wide range of titles, including fiction, poetry and non-fiction that we read this year. There's sure t...

Chris had a wide-ranging conversation with first-time guest, Lore Ferguson Wilbert, and repeat guest, Ragan Sutterfield, in which they touched on various topics including: processing the recent U.S. election, grief and lament, pace and time, rootedness and place, story, and of course, what they have been recently reading.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

If you’d like to order any of the following books, we enco...

Joel hosted a conversation with two ERB reviewers, who each recently reviewed new books about the intersection of creativity and faith. They discuss the craft of poetry, their personal experiences with creative slumps, how certain books and poems do (or do not!) aid the creative process, and what this all means about humans, belief, and existing in God's creation. It was a fun, honest, and open discussion. Enjoy!

Books and W...

Our new managing editor, Lindsey Cornett sat down with the writer and illustrator of the brand-new "Book of Belonging" collection of Bible stories for children. They discuss the problems and difficulties with many "traditional" children's bibles, how the two of them met and decided to collaborate on this project, what sets this project apart from other approaches, and how the process has impacted them personally. It's a wide-rangin...

Chris spoke with two first-time guests, Sarah Bessey and Sarah McCammon about the Exvangelical movement and so-called 'deconstruction' in American Christianity. They speak about their own experiences in conservative, evangelical Christianity, how they approached deconstruction, what they are observing about deconstruction in our cultural moment, and of course, what they are currently reading.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:...

Joel hosted a conversation with two first-time podcast guests all about 'CCM' or 'Contemporary Christian Music.' They explore various cultural aspects of 'CCM,' as well as the reality of profit-driven corporate influence. Larry Norman figures prominently in their discussion, and Joel reflects a bit on his experience as a 90s kid immersed in this industry.

Leah Payne is Associate Professor of American Religious History at Por...